Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you talk more with your words or with your body? Do you generally rely on knowledge or perceptions to form your views? Overall, are you an optimist or a realist? Social workers are a diverse group of professionals, each with their own personality. These personalities show up in the way that they conduct interviews and how they relate to their clients. For example, a social worker who prefers processing might use more pauses in their interviews in order to think through the information presented.

In this Discussion, you examine your own personal style of communication and how well that style may translate to a social work context.

• Identify two ways your family and/or friends would describe your personal style of communication.
• Identify two ways you would describe your own personal style of communication.
• Explain the similarities and differences in the descriptions by your family and by you.
• Describe how a client may respond to your personal style of communication.
  • What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses in your personal style when working with a client?